Patient Access Lead Representative

Conifer Health Solutions•Rock Hill, SC

1d•Onsite

About The Position

The Patient Access Lead Representative leads shift Patient Access operations and supports departmental efficiency, financial clearance, team accountability, and operational excellence. The role works at Piedmont Medical Center and is scheduled Wednesday 1 a.m.–7 a.m. and Thursday–Saturday 7 p.m.–7 a.m. It includes analyzing admission, discharge, and transfer (ADT) information and revenue cycle reports, preparing operational reports, and collaborating with department leaders to improve processes. The representative greets patients and customers, provides customer service, completes patient registration and required legal forms, and scans and organizes protected health information. The role may also schedule diagnostic or surgical procedures, interview patients and physician offices, explain hospital procedures and policies, and coordinate schedule changes with clinical departments. Responsibilities include patient financial counseling, compliant collection of patient liabilities, cash reconciliation and payment entry, insurance and benefit verification, medical-necessity checks, authorization and inpatient notification tasks, and completion of financial-clearance worklists. The position requires cross-training across Patient Access service areas, effective communication and collaboration, and availability for hours and days determined by departmental needs, including on-call scheduling support when required. Work takes place in hospital administration and may include patient-care locations with potential exposure to life-threatening patient conditions. Conifer Health is part of the Tenet and Catholic Health Initiatives family and describes its work as supporting clients’ financial and clinical performance, patient experience, quality, cost, and access to healthcare.

Requirements

High school diploma or GED required.
Two to four years of experience in a medical facility, health insurance, or related area.
Minimum typing speed of 35 words per minute.
High-level working knowledge of software, programs, and equipment, including PCs.
Advanced customer-service skills and experience.
Ability to work in a fast-paced environment.
Ability to receive and communicate detailed information orally and in writing.
Ability to use professional negotiation techniques to collect amounts owed by patients or guarantors.
Must be cross-trained in all Patient Access service areas.
Must be available to work hours and days as needed based on departmental or system demands, and for on-call scheduling support when required.
Must obtain and provide confirmation of required vaccinations and screenings before employment starts, as applicable and permitted by law.
Must be able to sit at a computer terminal for extended periods.
Must be able to occasionally lift or carry items weighing up to 25 pounds.
Must be able to frequently stand, sit, and walk for prolonged periods.
Must be able to occasionally push a wheelchair to assist patients with mobility problems.

Nice To Haves

Two- to four-year college degree in business, accounting, medical administration, or a related area.
Three to five years of Patient Access experience.
One to two years in a supervisory or lead role.
Knowledge of functions and relationships within a hospital environment.
Advanced understanding of third-party payor requirements.
Advanced understanding of compliance standards.
Advanced patient-liability collection performance and high productivity achievement.

Responsibilities

Greet customers according to Conifer Standards of Care and provide customer service.
Complete full patient registration at the date of service while following financial and cash-control policies and procedures.
Explain and secure hospital and patient legal forms, including advance directives, conditions of service, consent for treatment, Important Message from Medicare, and EMTALA forms.
Scan protected health information and create and file patient information packets or folders for upcoming hospital services.
May schedule diagnostic and/or surgical procedures, conduct physician-office and patient interviews, and explain hospital procedure guidelines and policies.
Coordinate schedule modifications with clinical departments.
Provide patient financial counseling, education, and referrals.
Use compliant patient-liability collection techniques and complete collection escalations before, during, and after the date of service.
Perform hospital cash reconciliation and secured payment entry in accordance with financial and cash-control policies.
Perform medical-necessity checks and verification in accordance with Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services requirements.
Verify insurance, benefits, coverage, and eligibility; complete assigned financial-clearance worklists; obtain authorizations for scheduled and unscheduled hospital services; and secure inpatient visit notification to payors.
Analyze admission, discharge, and transfer (ADT) information and revenue cycle reports.
Complete departmental operational reports related to team performance and accountability.
Lead shift Patient Access operations and collaborate with department leaders on process and operational excellence.
Cross-train and work in all Patient Access service areas.
Build and maintain collaborative relationships with internal and external clients to support communication, productivity, and accuracy.
Identify opportunities to improve patient relations and shorten registration processing time.
Resolve physician-office and patient issues.
Provide on-call scheduling support when required and work hours and days as needed based on departmental or system demands.